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(No Mode1.) .4 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. H. LONG 80 1). CAR SKADEN.

APPARATUS FOR REUOVERING PREGIOUS METALS FROM THEIR ORES.

Patented Apr. 9, 1895.

(No Model.) 4 Shee ts-Sheet 2.

P. H. LONG 86 D. CAR SKADEN. APPARATUS FOR R'EGOVERING PREcmUs METALS FROM THEIR 0115s.

No. 537,423. Patented Apr. 9, 1895.

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F. H. LONG :& D. OAR SKADEN. APPARATUS FOR REGOVERING PRECIOUS METALS FROM THEIR 0333.

No. 537,423- Patented Apr. 9, 1896.

4 Sheets-Shee't 4. F. H. LONG & D, GAR SKADEN. APPARATUS FOR REGOVERING PRECIOUS METALS PROM THEIR ORBS.

(No' Model.)

Patented Apr. 9, '1895 ORR/ A NITED STATES PATENT OFFroE.

FREDERIC H. LONG AND DELOS OAR SKADEN, OF-CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID LONG ASSIGNOR TO A. G. LONG, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR RECOVERING PRECIOUS METALS FROM THEIR ORES.

$FECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,423, dated April 9, 1895.

Application filed April 16 l 8 94.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERIC H. LONG an .DELOS CAR SKADEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of I1linois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Recovering Precious Metals from their Ores, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description,reference being bad to 1 o the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for recovering gold and silver from their ores, and the primary objects of our invention are to produce an apparatus whereby all of the precious metal contained in any given quantity of ore shall be completely, rapidly and inexpensively extracted or recovered from such ore.

Another object is to provide certain novel and useful details of construction in such an apparatus whereby economy and simplicity of construction is effected while the efficiency of the apparatus is promoted to the maximum de ree.

These objects and such others as may hereinafter appear are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a reduction- 0 mill or apparatus embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; the direction of view being toward the left hand of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is also an end elevation of the apparatus; but the 5 direction of view being toward the right hand end of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the tum; bling-drum detached from the apparatus; the section being taken on the plane indicated by 0 the section-line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the. tumbling-drum, detached from the apparatus; the plane of the section beingindicated by the section-line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and the direction of view being 5 that indicated by the arrows applied to said section-line. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of one end-portion of the conveyer-shaft and its tube, the conducting hopper, and certain parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 7 is an enlarged serial No. 507,703. (No model.)

View, in vertical section, of the tumbling-drum thimbleand the vent-pipe, and certain attachments adjacent thereto. Figs. 7 7 are detail views of a thimble and its support.

Similar numerals of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawlugs.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a tumbling-drum or cylinder which is shown as placed horizontally above a suitable bed or base 6 and which may be of any length and diameter, according to the required operative capacity of the mill. At its sides, this tumbling-drum is provided with doors or covers 2 which permit the charges of ore-pulp to be introduced into and discharged from the drum as required. This drum or cylinder 1 rests at its ends upon rollers or wheels 12 which are journaled in bearingpieces 10 secured to the base 6 and at each end said drum carries an encircling gear-rack 13; these two racks being each engaged by one of two pinions 14 carried by a power-shaft 9. The power-shaft 9 is journaled also in the bearing-pieces 10, and, at one end, said shaft 5 carries a belt-pulley 11 over which is to be trained a belt leading from a suitable motor, or a line-shafting, or any other suitable source of power.

Into one end or head of the tumbling-drum 83 l is inserted a revoluble horizontal conveyershaft 3, the inner end of which approaches near to the opposite end or head of the drum and is loosely centered in a cross-piece or spider 4, extending transversely within the 85 drum; said cross-piece being shown as rigidly secured at its ends to the inner surface of the sides of said drum, by means of brackets 4 At its outer end, this conveyer-shaft 3 is journaled in the upper end of a suitable standard 5 which rises Vertically from the base 6, and at said end, said conveyer-shaft carries a belt-pulley 7 over which leads a belt 8; said belt being trained also beneath a pulley 27 carried by the corresponding end of the 5 power-shaft 9.

To the conveyer shaft 3 is secured a spiral conveyer 19, fitting closely, and working within, a metallic, and preferably iron, tube 17, the conveyer being of substantially the full [co length of the said tube. The inner end of the tube 17 is fitted, and bears in the cross piece 4, while the outer end of the tube bears, with a tight joint, in the opposite head of the drum, so that the tube revolves with the drum in operation while the conveyer revolves in the opposite direction within the tube during operation. That portion of the tube which extends within the drum is perforated, and is also surrounded by a jacket 18 of asbestos cloth or other suitable porous material which will act as a filter, without electrically insulating the tube.

The tube 19 extends outward beyond the end or head of the drum 1 and at its outer end enters the upper part of one side of a hopper 31 which depends downward from the tube and to the lower end of which is connected a pipe 22 leading to a suitable condenser. In order to form a perfectly tight connection between the end of the tube 19 and the hopper, and at the same time to permit the drum to move sidewise, both horizontally and vertically, as it is liable to do while in operation, we have provided the following attachments: The outer end of the tube 19 is surrounded rigidly by a collar or ring having at its outer end an outwardly extending annular shoulder or flange 32. This collar 30 is embraced by a ring 33 which is secured by screws 34, or equivalent devices, to the adjacent side of the hopper 31; the flange 32 being interposed between this side of the hopper 31 and the ring 33, and a packing-ring 35 is interposed between the side of the hopper and the end of the collar 30 as shown. The shoulder or flange 32 of the collar 30 works within a recess 36 in the side of the hopper 31 and said recess is of sufficiently greater diameter than the flange to permit the drum to play laterally either vertically or horizontally, without opening the joint at this point, the ring 33 and hopper opening having sufliciently greater internal diameter than the externaldiameterofthecollarand tubeto permit such movements. The conveyer'shaft 3 also extends through the upper end of the hopper 31 and, in order to produce a tight and at the same time somewhat movable connection at this point also, we provide the following attachments: The shaft 3 is closely surrounded by a bushing 38 which presses closely against the outer side of thehopper31, packing-rings 10 and 41 being interposed respectively between said bushing and the hopper and between the bushing and the shaft 3. This bushing is surrounded by a ring 37 which is secured, by screws 39 or equivalent means, to the outer side of the hopper 31, and which is flanged so as to overlap the bushing 38. The bushing 38 is of somewhat less external diameter than the internal diameter of the ring 37, so that the shaft 3 is permitted to play laterally, both vertically and horizontally, in accordance with similar play of the drum 1, without loosening the joint at this point. A suitable gate-valve, such as is shown, for example, at 42 is arranged to close the lower end of the hopper 31; such valve being closed during certain stages of the operation of the apparatus and opened during subsequent stages of such operation, as hereinafter explained. The hopper 31 is held against rotation under the influence of either the shaft 3 or tube 19, in any suitable manner, such as by means of a link 31 pivotally secured at its ends respectively to the side of the hopper and to the base 6 or any other stationary part of the apparatus.

Through the opposite end or head of the tumbling-drum 1 (from that end through which extend the conveyor-shaft 3 and tube 17) extends a hollow or tubular thimble 15 which is supported at its outer end in the upper end of a standard 16 rising vertically from the base 6. The outer end of the thimble is made polygonal, so as to prevent rotation of the thimble, and an insulating polygonal sleeve 15 is interposed between the thimble and standard. The outer end of-the thimble is also connected to a pipe 29 which leads to a suitable condensing-receiver. At its inner end, the thimble 15 communicates with a vent-tube 23, shown as formed integrally with the thimble, and preferably, although not necessarily, so formed. In any event, the vent-tube 23 extends at all times upward from the thimble 15 and opens at its upper end within the tumbling drum 1 so as to receive the gaseous or attenuated residue of the chlorides, as hereinafter explained, and to transmit such residue through the thimble 15 and pipe 29 to the condensing-receiver. In order to insure a tight joint between this end or head of the drum 1 and the thimble 15, we provide the following attachments: A sleeve having an externally shouldered inner end 51 is inserted through the center of this end or head of the drum 1, so as to closely surround the inner end-portion of the thimble 15 and so also as to abut closely at its inner end against an external flange 51 on the inner end of the thimble. The external shoulder 51 of the sleeve 50 abuts against the inner side of the head of the drum 1 and thus pre vents outward movement of the sleeve, while a packing-ring 52 is interposed between the flange 51 of the thimble 15 and the inner end of the sleeve 50, so as to make a tight joint at this point.

53 designates a ring which surrounds the thimble 15 and which overlaps, at one side, the joint between the outer end of the sleeve 50 and the outer side of the head of the drum 1. This ring 53 is held against the outer end of the sleeve 50 by a pair of keys 5% which are united at the top and bottom thereof by cross bars 54, and tit into oppositely disposed grooves cut into the sides of the thimble 15 as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 7 and 7. The

sides of these keys which bear against the ring are straight or in a plane with the ring, while the opposite sides are beveled or lie at an oblique angle to the ring so as to cause the keys to be tapering from their upper to their lower ends, the outer walls of the grooves in the thimble 15 being beveled corresponding with the taper of the keys-so that when thekeys are driven into the grooves bearing against the ring they will act as wedges to force the thimble outwardly and thus cause the shoulders 51 thereon, to impinge tightly against the drumhead. This is a simple means for fastening these parts detachably in position, but obviously various other means may be employed for accomplishing the same object that will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the arts. To adjust these keys or double wedge, and maintain the wedge in any adjusted position, suitable screw bolts 55 are provided working through the cross-bars 51 and impinging against the thimble 15 at the upper and end sides thereof, so that by proper manipulation of the two bolts, the adjustments of the ring may be quickly and easily made and maintained.

The thimble and its accompanying devices may be, as before stated, supported directly in the head of the drum, but in practice we prefer to have these parts supported in a removable plug fitting in an opening in the head, for greater ease in removing, adjusting or repairing the parts, thereby avoiding the necessity for removing the entire head. To this end we provide a removable plug 1 having tapering or other edges which fit in, and break joint with, the edges of the opening in the head (see Fig. 7) in which the sleeve and thimble 15 are supported, this plug being held in position by any suitable means such as the pair of parallel bars 1 (see Figs. 2 and 3) secured at their ends in any suitable manner to the drum head and crossing the plug 1 within the periphery thereof at opposite sides. The sleeve 50 fits tightly within the plug and of course turns with the plug and drum while the thimble 15 remains stationary and in order to lubricate the contact surfaces of the sleeve and thimble, we provide a periphery groove 50flwith an inleading duct 50 through which any suitable lubricant may be introduced into the groove. The ring 53 simply serves as a washer and may or may not turn with the sleeve 50 according to the pressure with which it is held against the sleeve.

The inner surface of the sides of the tumbling-drum l is completely covered by numerous plates 20, which are of carbon, or any other suitable material possessing good electrical conductivity, and which are bolted, riveted, or otherwise suitably secured to the sides of the drum. These plates 20 are provided with inwardly extending wings or flanges 21, formed upon or suitably secured to the plates, and which, as the drum is rotated, raise the ore-pulp and drop it in tumbling fashion, so as to thoroughly agitate the pulp. These plates 20 are connected in series by wires 24 and 24, at the sides and end of the drum respectively, and with the positive pole of a suitable electric battery or with a generator of any preferred type, through the intermediary of the wires 2t and suitable contacting devices of any well known construction. Suitable switches 25 are provided for cutting out, electrically, any of the plates as desired. The conveyer shaft 3 which works within, and makes contact with, the tube 17, above described, is also connected,at its outer end,

by wires 17 and suitable contacting devices with the negative pole of the battery or generator; the arrangement being such that the plates 20 and tube 17 constitute respectively the anode and cathode of the circuit.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A suitable quantity of ore-pulp is introduced into the tumbling-drum 1 through one or another of the openings in the sides thereof; the proper man-hole cover or covers 2 being removed for this purpose and the pulp being wet sufficiently to. render it properly conductive electrically. A suitable quantity of chlorinating substance, or substances, is also introduced into the drum, and the manhole cover or covers 2 are put in place, the

. gate-valve 42 being also closed, and the electric current is turned on. Soon after this, power is applied to the power-shaft 9 so as to revolve the drum 1 and asthe drum revolves the wings 21 of the plates 20 lift and drop the pulp, so as to tumbleit aboutwithin the drum and thus intimately mix the chlorinating substance or substances with the pulp. In a short space of time, the gold or silver in the pulp will be transformed into chlorides which are constantly carried and forced toward the center of the drum, and the liquid chlorides are filtered through the fabric jacket and perforations of the tube 17-, and as soon as the chlorides come in contact with the inner surface .of the tube they are converted into pure crystalline gold or silver and deposited upon the inner surface of the tube. Of course the strained chlorides will fill the .hopper 31, which, however, has tight joints, and the operation of the conveyor serves to continually scrape the crystals of metal from the interior of the tube and carry them into the hopper, which when sufficiently filled may be readily emptied into any suitable receptacle, through the pipe 22, by the openingof the gate or valve in the bottom of the hopper. The constant agitation of the pulp while subjected to the action of the current of electricity, not only thoroughly intermixes the chlorinating substances with the pulp and causes the generation of chlorine gas which converts the gold or silver into a chloride, but also causes the Wet pulp with its liquid charge to be constantly carried into contact with the perforated central tube which constitutes the cathode compartment of the apparatus and thereby insures that in a very short time practically all of the liquid chlorides will be brought in contact with the cathode and be thereby converted into crystallized gold or silver, which is removed as rapidly as deposited by the conveyor working in the tube. Meanwhile vapors and gases of difierent kinds in addition to the chlorine gases, accumulate in the upper portion of the drum and unless their pressure was reduced would soon cause the explosion of the drum. These gases and vapors are permitted to escape through the vent 23 and are conducted by the pipe 29 to acondensing receiver where such gases as are valuable may be converted or precipitated by any of the well known methods, thus saving practically all of the products of the pulp. When all of the gold or silver has been extracted from the ore pulp, the drum is stopped, the electric current shut off and the depleted pulp is discharged from the drum, when the operation may be repeated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An apparatus for recovering precious metals, comprising a revoluble drum, a perforated metal tube opening from said drum and provided with a fabric jacket, and a series of plates secured to the inner surface of the drum and having inwardly extending blades or flanges, and electric connections to the plates and tube for rendering the same of opposite polarity, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus for recovering precious metals comprising a revoluble drum, a perforated metal tube opening from said drum and provided with a fabric jacket,a series of plates secured to the inner surface of the drum and having inwardly extending blades or flanges, electric connections to the plates and tube for rendering the same of opposite polarity and a rotatable conveyer located and working within said tube, substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for recovering precious metals comprising a revoluble drum, a perforated metal tube opening from said drum and provided with a fabric jacket, a series of plates secured to the innersurface of the drum and having inwardly extending blades or flanges, electric connections to the plates and tubes for rendering the same of opposite polarity, a conveyer located and working in said tube and a receiving hopper connected with the outer end of said tube and provided with a discharge valve,substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for recovering precious metals the combination with a revoluble drum, rollers supporting the same at the lower side thereof, a power shaft and a rack and pinion connection between said shaft and drum, of a perforated tube located axially in, and turning with, said drum and provided with a fabric jacket, a conveyer located and working in said tube, a receiving hopper at the outer end of said tube and a slip joint between said hopper and the tube and shaft of the conveyer, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for recovering precious metals, 2. revoluble drum, rollers supporting the same at the lower side thereof, a power shaft and a rack and pinion connectionbetween said shaft and drum, of a perforated tube extending axially within the drum from one end thereof and provided with a fabric jacket within the drum, a conveyer located and working in said tube, a receiving hopper at the outer end of said tube, a flanged collar secured to the outer end of said tube and fitting and working in an annular groove in an opening in one wall of said hopper of greater diameter than the tube and collar, and a bushing on the conveyer shaft fitting and Working in a groove in an opening in the opposite wall of the hopper of greater diameter than the shaft and bushing, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for recovering precious metals, the combination with a revoluble drum, rollers supporting the same at the lower side thereof, a power shaft and a rack and pinion connection between said shaft and drum, of a perforated tube extending axially into said drum from one end thereof and rotating with the drum,a conveyer located and working in said tube, the hopper 31, the flanged collar 30, the ring 33, the conveyer shaft 3, the bushing 38 and the ring 37, substantially as described.

7. An apparatus for recovering precious metals, comprising a revoluble drum, a perforated metal tube opening from said drum and provided with a fabric jacket, a series of plates secured to the inner surface of the drum and having inwardly extending blades or flanges, electric connections to the plates and tube for rendering the same of opposite polarity, and a stationary vent pipe passing axially through the drum head and opening into the interior of the drum near the top thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. An apparatus for recovering precious metals comprising a revoluble drum, a perforated metal tube opening from said drum and provided with a fabric jacket, a series of plates secured to the inner surface of the drum and having inwardly extending blades or flanges, electric connections to the plates and tube for rendering the same of opposite polarity, a rotatable conveyer located and working in said tube and a fixed vent pipe passing axially through the drum head and opening into the interior of the drum near the top thereof, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus for recovering precious metals, the combination with a revoluble drum, rollers supporting the same at the lower side thereof and means for rotating said drum upon the rollers, of a thimble extending axially through one head of said drum supporting and communicating with a vent pipe, said pipe opening within the drum near the top thereof, and a standard having a polygonal socket for the reception of the poly onal outer end of said thimble to support said thimble and prevent rotation thereof, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus for recovering precious metals, the combination with the revoluble drum, rollerssupporting the same at the lower side thereof and means for rotating said drum, of a removable plug for a central opening in one head of the drum, a sleeve fitted in a central opening in said plug, a thimble extending through said sleeve and fitting closely therein, a vent pipe supported by, and communicating with, said thiinble and opening within the drum near the top [0 thereof and a standard having a polygonal socket for reception of the polygonal outer end of said thirnble, substantially as described.

FREDERIO H. LONG. DELOS CAR SKADEN. Witnesses:

JNO. L. Common, 0. R. BARNETT. 

